Remote bootstrapping a node over communication link by initially requesting remote storage access program which emulates local disk to load other programs
First Claim
1. A method of downline loading an executable bootstrapping image from a host computer over a communications link to a node, said node having an interface through which it communicates over said communications link, comprising the steps ofinitiating execution by said node of a node initialization program,after said initiation, requesting a remote storage access program by sending one of a small set of specialty messages over said communications link, and retrieving by said node said remote storage access program from the host over the communications link,execution of said retrieved remote storage access program to link said remote storage access program to a local storage interrupt service routine,in response to a local storage interrupt service request, execution by said node of said linked remote storage access program to emulate a local physical disk, send a message over said communications link to establish a communication session, said communication session permitting a protocol that is more complex than permitted by said set of specialty messages over said communications link, and initiate retrieval of an executable bootstrapping image over the communications link from a file on the host, by using the emulated local physical disk after the establishing of said communication session, andexecution by said node of said retrieved executable bootstrapping image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of down loading, over a network, operating systems or other executable programs to a computer which does not have a boot device or other device containing the executable program. Down loading is accomplished without modification of the loadable image. The computer has a network interface which requests a minimum-boot program be transferred from a host computer on the network. The minimum-boot program, when executed, establishes a logical connection to a disk server on the network and allows the requesting computer to treat the disk server as a local boot device.
106 Citations
4 Claims
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1. A method of downline loading an executable bootstrapping image from a host computer over a communications link to a node, said node having an interface through which it communicates over said communications link, comprising the steps of
initiating execution by said node of a node initialization program, after said initiation, requesting a remote storage access program by sending one of a small set of specialty messages over said communications link, and retrieving by said node said remote storage access program from the host over the communications link, execution of said retrieved remote storage access program to link said remote storage access program to a local storage interrupt service routine, in response to a local storage interrupt service request, execution by said node of said linked remote storage access program to emulate a local physical disk, send a message over said communications link to establish a communication session, said communication session permitting a protocol that is more complex than permitted by said set of specialty messages over said communications link, and initiate retrieval of an executable bootstrapping image over the communications link from a file on the host, by using the emulated local physical disk after the establishing of said communication session, and execution by said node of said retrieved executable bootstrapping image.
Specification